Flügel Der Freiheit
by Trace Sukirata
Summary: Separated from the rest of the Recon Corps, a number of those bearing the Wings of Freedom upon their backs ponder the paths they have taken that have led them to this point. After all, this may be the only chance they get. This may as well be their last deployment. Despite the odds and their fears, however, they continue to forge on.
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue to the Epilogue

Chapter 1 – Prologue to the Epilogue

"Hey mom, dad, Kristofer… I'm home…"

For some reason, those are the only words that come to mind as I stand over the rubble of my home. Well, then again, considering, I guess it could make sense. Who wouldn't want to say that they're home after something like that? After thinking that they wouldn't ever return to the place where they were born? When they finally return to where they were raised, and where the fondest of their childhood memories were crafted from nothing… Who wouldn't want to say that they were home?

Well, it's more so a joke than anything for me. I can't help but laugh at how far I've come since that day. I'm not helpless like I used to be. But, then again…

"Frelich! It's time to move!"

I strike my fist over my heart, and give my commander an acknowledgement

"Yes, Sir!"

Not the time to think, and I simply follow suit with the rest of the group and mount my horse. Commander gave me this opportunity because we happened to be here. He gave the opportunity to everyone who came from Shiganshina, specifically because we happened to be here. I think there's only one other person here, though. Remaining, that is. His name's Diether Bräuer. He was in my training group. Though he was the top of the class back then, while I was about less than average, I can say we're about even now. It doesn't really matter at this point, however.

"You too Bräuer!."

The obvious "Yes, Sir!" on Bräuer's part, and he walks away from his own home rubble. Funny. He lived on the same street as me and I never even knew it. He must've been a shut-in of some sort. Had he ever gone outside, I would've seen him. I always loved to play outside with my brother. 'Course, he always found a way to get himself hurt in a way that made mom mad at me, but it was fun nonetheless. Kris even apologized to me when it happened. Seriously, if only he wasn't so clumsy… I can't help but laugh at my memories of his slip-ups. They were always the best.

When he was younger, Kris used to call me "Ree" in lieu of "Suritsu" because he seemed to have trouble pronouncing the "Tsu". He could get every other part of the name right, but, because of that "Tsu", he decided to just shorten it to "Ree." Sometimes, it sounded as if he had nicknamed me "Lee", and people ended up getting confused about my gender. I didn't care all that much, though. Kris was just too cute for me to stop.

"What're you thinking about, Ritsu?"

As for Bräuer, however, he has this annoying habit of shortening my first name to "Ritsu".

"Full first, or use my last, Bräuer."

I can't even imagine how many times I've used that phrase with him. At this point, it's either grown old or become a catch phrase. It could be both for all I know, but Bräuer shows no sign of believing it to be either. He just has that nervous slash embarrassed smile on his face that he expresses in such a perfect way. Y'know, the one where your eyebrows' curves are concave as opposed to their normal curve. A somewhat embarrassed laugh thing. Dunno what it's called.

"Aw, c'mon. Give me a break just this once?"

I glance over at him, holding back my normal answer for just this once. Considering the situation we're in, it'd be cruel not to let him have his way. Just once, anyways. Not like he's likely to get another chance. I let out a sigh and relent.

"Gah, fine. But I can call you Diether."

He scoffs at this for an obvious reason, which he takes the time to voice out.

"I've already told you: you can call me that whenever you want."

I can't help but roll my eyes at his retort. I'm tempted to tell him to get his priorities straight, but whatever priorities he had, I had, or even the commander had got thrown to hell a little while back. Excuse my choice of words, but I can use anything I want when I'm thinking. Then again, I can use whatever I want when I'm talking as well, but I choose the path of politeness and civilized speech.

I've been hella rude to Bräuer, though. I kinda regret it sometimes. Y'know what, I'll make some conversation with him for a change. Not the first time I've ever done it, but it's nice to try and keep an even ratio of who starts the conversations.

"Hey, Bräuer, were you by-"

"Weren't you going to call me Diether?"

Oh, so you remembered I said that, eh? Smart-arse. Fine, be that way.

"Fine then, _Diether_, We're you by any chance a shut-in?"

This, my friends, is how to create conversation. Forget any and all social boundaries, and just ask about what you're curious about. And, if you don't have anything you're curious about, then figure one out. The look on Bräuer's face is priceless.

"Where would you get that idea!?"

I gesture back towards the rubble of a building that he was standing at. Well, I gesture backwards, at least, as the rubble's been out of sight for a while now.

"Your home's on the same street as mine. Never saw you, though, and I was outside all the time."

He throws me a condescending glance. A few years ago, I would have never thought that he was capable of such a thing. Then again, trial and hardship brings you closer than anything would…

"So what? Who's to say that was my home?"

That's a terrible argument, Bräuer. "That fact that you were standing over it."He turns his head completely to face me. That's a challenge if I ever saw one. Bring it, Bräuer.

"That doesn't mean that it's my home." A grin passes onto his face, and I allow one to pass onto mine. I'm not going to fall for that one. If I ask what it could be, he could say that it was a memorial site that he just commissioned and I would lose right there. "Commander said we were only to visit our homes." That's a tad more likely to get the truth out of him.

And then the grin drops from his face. So it is his home. But why make such a big deal out of it? Perhaps it's best not to ask. "You can ask if you want." Bräuer's words cross my ears almost immediately after I think that it might not be a good idea. An even better reason, then, to not ask him about it.

Best change the subject for good measure. "Nah…. Bräuer-" _"Diether"_ Gotts darnt, he's not gonna let up, is he? "_Diether_, have you ever wanted, like-" . . . What was I just about to ask? That would've been embarrassing as- Oh gott, I know that look in his eye. "Have I ever wanted… what?" I wave my hand through the air in a desperate attempt to derail what I just started.

"Nothing, nothing! Tell me, do you have any hints on how to maintain and boost velocity with the Three-" He silences me with a quick and sharp "Sh" before his grin returns. "You're not getting away that easily." Fine. I'll hit you with a hard comment then.

A moment of silence as he waits for me to submit to his will and tell him what I was about to mention. However, this silence works in my favor. "Y'know… Commander hasn't said anything about the talking, has he?" Instant somberness. Maybe not the best escape, but… It's actually something that's been on my mind.

Normally, by this point, commander would've told us to focus and save our breath and voices for when we really needed it. However, he hasn't said anything. The same goes for the rest of our group. Asofar, we've been the only two who's been talking the entire time while everyone else has stayed dead silent. In all truthfulness, it's quite inappropriate to talk right now…

After all, we're cut off. And, considering how deep we are in their territory... Despite the plan we've come up with to make it back to Trost… Despite how skilled we might just be… And even despite the fact that we are an element of advanced experience of the Recon Corps…

We might as well be Titan food.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Welcome to my fanfiction/derivative work of Attack on Titan. Please enjoy your stay, and leave your thoughts if you have the time~ The theme for this story, wherever it's going to go, is this:**

**.**

**I fight with the knowledge that the Wings of Freedom are spread wide upon my back.**

**And I know that all who stand against me will fall in the name of that Freedom.**

**I am of the Recon Corps.**

**And this is where you fall.**

**.**

**Main characters asofar: ((Mainly for my reference because my memory sucks recently.))**

**Suritsu Frelich – Shiganshina District**

**Diether Bräuer – Shiganshina District**


	2. Chapter 2 - Prologue to Recon Corps

Chapter 2 – Prologue to Recon Corps

It is said that those of the Recon Corps are of the most skilled soldiers that humanity has in the war against the Titans. That is, if one could call it a war. When I first joined the Corps a few weeks after the fall of Shiganshina, it was partially for this reason. The main reason, however, was that I wanted to see just how far I could go before I fell to the punishment of going outside of the walls. That is, when I say how far I could go, I don't mean to say how far I could go outside the walls.

I had never respected those in the military police for "dedicating their hearts to the king", nor had I admired the Recon Corps for their recklessness in venturing outside the walls. As for the Garrison, I had no qualms, nothing positive nor negative. They were, to me, the "average" between two extremes. More trusted to willingly fight in battle against the Titans than the Military Police, but not as "curious" as the members of the Recon Corps. Nor, as I might mention, as "eccentric."

When I had joined the military, I had actually been aiming, in fact, to escape the mundane lifestyle of my home town. I lived within Wall Sina, believe it or not. My family was a rich one. When I first expressed my desire to join the military, I was heavily discouraged, as one might expect. My role, as they called it, was to stay within these walls and carry on the family legacy. It wasn't my place to take up arms against an enemy I would never be forced to fight. The walls were "safe" after all.

As one might've expected, I didn't listen to them. One day, wealth would run dry, families would lose prestige, the "Inner District" would not be as safe, and everything within these walls would eventually become part of a larger whole of civilization. The question was mainly "When". In my hopeful opinion, that is. Of course, it could also happen that the walls would fall and Sina would become the final bastion of hope for Humanity's survival. And, considering how much space there is within that last line of walls, it wouldn't be long before that hope were extinguished. We would either push outwards, or we would fall further and further inwards until nothing remained. Besides, simply sitting idly was far from my idea of interesting.

As I continued to express my desires to join the military, I eventually garnered the disdain of my family. To me, however, who held a similar disdain for my family prior to this occurrence, I cared next to naught. The only thing that caught my attention would be eventually lack of a "loving home to return to." Can it still be called loving when your family stops caring where you'll end up dead? They didn't say this outright, of course, but it generally felt like it. And with this, one day, "Lukas Weiß " disappeared from his bedroom in the middle of the night. To this day, I still haven't made contact with them. And, admittedly, sometimes I'm a little jealous of those that still have "family."

My Training Squad was an interesting bunch to say the least. Most, if not all, enlisted without the expectation of eventually having to fight Titans, and only a few enlisted with the aim of moving to the inner district. I might have been the only one with the initial desire to do something interesting in life, which was, in my case, fight Titans. I knew it was going to be the death of me, but, for some reason, I didn't really care. It seemed far more interesting than living out my life in excess. It was the reason, in the end, that I chose the Recon Corps as opposed to the Garrison.

The most interesting part of my training had to be the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear operational training. As admitted, however, this is normally the most interesting part of the training for any member of any part of the military. In my case, it wasn't so much learning to use the Maneuver Gear as it was developing my own style of using it. It was emphasized that speed was the best characteristic to focus on when employing the Gear. Titans normally didn't move or react quickly, and, with high enough speed, one could easily catch one off-guard and find a position to a strike at its nape. It was the best strategy that they had developed asofar for slaying the Titans.

However, when I approached the subject, I decided to focus on something that more so closely fit my thought style. When conversing with others, I allow them to state their opinions first, and only then develop my response according to what I hear in order to avoid offense. It was, after all, mentioned in the name of the Gear: Maneuver. As opposed to most of the others, I focused on being able to perform extremely sharp turns, changes in directions, and basically maneuvering around the target. Also, when it comes to actually killing Titans, positioning is just as important, if not more so, than speed.

Despite these facts, the main reason why I chose this strategy is survival: Even when the occurring aberrant decided to make its move, I could easily avoid its attack when I normally wouldn't have been able to. To put it in a sort of perspective, why run from an enemy you might not escape when you can simply move out of the way? It was for this reason, the fact that I didn't fight as according to normal practice, that I wasn't graded as the top of the class. However, due to my unrivaled ability to clear my targets as they were presented to me, even if I wasn't the fastest in the group, I was still able to place in the top ten. I think I graduated in the lower half of the top ten.

When Wall Maria fell, the governmental recoil was so severe that the ceremony designed to place us in our chosen groups of the military was postponed. At this point, nearly everyone who took one of the slots in the top ten deigned to enroll in the Military Police. I was the exception, as, despite the fall of Wall Maria, I had still not changed my mind. The future that I had predicted had simply started to come to pass. Otherwise, nothing else had changed. I still wanted to see how far I could go before I fell to the punishment of the outside world.

A few weeks after the fall of Shiganshina, the ceremony was finally held. In the firelight of the torches, the twelfth commander of the Recon Corps stood before us and delivered to us the speech I had been expecting. And when his speech ended, he gave us the option to walk away from the challenge, either to eventually man the walls, which were bound to fall one day, or, for a special certain few, to perchance enlist in the Military Police, away from the terror of the Titans. Having been given this option, every single one in the group began to walk away.

But I stayed in my place, unmoving, unwilling, expressionless and fearless. I knew what I was about to get myself into, and it wasn't something I feared. I would face my predicament just like I had left my family that time so long ago: With grim resignation to my fate, whatever it may be, and to see just how I could go; to see just how interesting things could eventually become. It was my own, personal challenge to the world to "Take me as I am, and do what you wish." A mockingly fearless expression amongst a sea of terrified ones. That's what I aimed to make myself. I aimed to mock the world, and to force it to give me something interesting for once.

And, as I stood there, solitary and alone, with no one in my peripheral vision, my ears reported the sound of returning footsteps. They were few, but they were there. I gave myself the permission to turn my head, to look at those who chose to return. None were from the top ten, as expected. The first of those that had returned was Suritsu Frelich, who walked up to my right, standing at my side. When the wall had fallen, she had been deeply traumatized, mumbling quietly that her home was near the gate, that her brother Kris was still waiting for her to return. She wanted to join the Garrison and get herself stationed at Wall Maria, Shiganshina district. But the Titans, in her words, "They took my home from me." And, as she stood in the firelight, tears glistening sharply as they ran down her face, I could hear her mumble the words, "I'll take it back."

I turned my head back forwards as a suddenly silence took its place over the crowd of retreating shadows as they suddenly ceased to move. Another pair of foots broke out into the silence, and a figure walked up to my left. It was a member of one of the top ten, Diether Bräuer. At an earlier point of time, he had claimed to be from the Shiganshina district, but he never had the same reaction as those who I knew to be from Shiganshina.

When the event had occurred, he had expressed something akin to something like fear, but it wasn't truly "fear". And, as he stood there, grinning in the torchlight, defying the probably-knife-like gazes of those who had wanted to be in the top ten, as he wasted his chance to enter into the Military Police, just as I had, he whispered almost inaudibly to himself, "Why the hell not…" It was at that moment, right after he said those words, that I was able to notice the slightest hint of true fear and regret. It was the first time I had ever truly seen him express that emotion; Once more, I questioned whether he truly was from Shiganshina as he claimed. It's a question I've continued to ponder since.

From that day forth, we were a part of the Recon Corps. Those who I wouldn't admire for their recklessness, but would fascinate me with it all the same. As we, the new additions to the Corps, stood there together that day, only a few words would come to mind and mouth: "My, what an interesting occurrence." And so the twelfth commander welcomed us into the Corps.

* * *

All of those who joined that day were placed into a new separate squad after they had gotten a little experience. I was placed as their commander, though for a reason that I no longer remember. Perhaps it's because of my mindset, as I know for a fact that I'm not the best. All of those who joined that day, also, are still present and alive. Throughout their deployments, it would seem that none of them have had the bad luck to die. Nothing I would deign to complain about. Like a certain other member of the Corps, I hate unnecessary death.

I turn my head back to glance at Suritsu and Diether as they ride at the back of the small squad. For a while, they had been talking to each other quite fervently, though it seems that they had stopped now. I would have personally preferred if they kept talking, however. It was lightening the mood that I thought to be irrepressibly dark, considering our situation. It would seem to be part of their personalities, that is, to be able to make light of any situation. While everyone else here is solemn in memory of the dead of this district, especially and including that one other member from Shiganshina, they've been able to stay relatively positive. Though I won't say it aloud, I'm proud of them for it.

I unconsciously tap the side of one of my gas canisters, judging the sound to gauge how much gas remains. The return is still relatively high pitched, non-echo-type, a sign that the gas is still highly compressed into high density. In other words, I still have a lot of gas. I'm curious about the rest of the squad though. Though they haven't seen much more combat than me, they could have higher gas-usage ratios. "Check your gas." After a few moments, as they use their various methods of checking their supplies, the entirety of them reports high gas supplies. As for their blades, I don't need to ask. I would have noticed when they changed their blades.

I look at the houses lining our path. Empty houses, broken windows, soulless residencies. Fill up those shells with humans, set people lining our path, and we might as well be returning from battle from an expedition. Why are there so few of us? Well, we got separated and we returned here. Everyone else is still out there. We're just here to resupply, then we're going to head back out. That's exactly what I'm going to say when we get back to Trost and the rest of the Recon Corps isn't back yet. Otherwise, if they are back, then they'll probably have someone near the gate waiting for us to tell us what to do.

An intersection of roads ahead, and I ride a bit forwards to decide on our next path. I stop in the center and look to the right to see an empty road. I look to the left and I see the face of- Kick the horse into a gallop and send myself onto the walls of the houses to my right. There's a Titan sitting right there.

It stands up lazily, and I motion for my squad to hold position. The thing isn't in a good position for a group attack, and to do so would just hinder our efforts. Besides, it doesn't seem to be an aberrant. It finishes its stand, and I a pair of blades from my sheaths. That's a rule of mine: Keep grips on hand at all times, and blades in sheath unless you need them. You can draw your blades at any time, but you might not get another chance to escape.

And then it lunges at me. Huh. An Aberrant. I launch one of my cords at the opposite wall and fly right under its outstretched arm. Right as I pass its hand, though, it turns his to try and bite me. Nope. I launch my other cord at the ground as I release the first, changing my trajectory towards the ground. As the Titan crashes into the building, and right as I'm about to land, I send my first cord back out, lodging it just over the Titan's nape. Fast-reel and cut. The thing doesn't stand back up. As I stand on the Titan's now-decaying body, I deliver a short whistle and my horse returns from around the corner. I deliver a hand signal to my squad, and one of them signals back: confirmed kill. Twelfth solo kill. On that matter, I have fourteen team kills. I check my blades integrity, and resheath them for future use: They've still got a number of killing cuts in them, perhaps even a dozen if I do it right.

I glance back at Suritsu and Diether for a moment. If I can remember correctly, they've each got nineteen or twenty team kills each, each of them made with the other. It's like they're keeping count. On that same note, I don't believe either of them has more than three or four solo kills, and a less observant person could even deign to say neither of them has a solo kill. It's a fascinating observation. At first glance, Suritsu might be the victim of the bother that is Diether, and-or Diether might be the victim of the cold soul that is Suritsu. But if you look at it impartially, despite how disagreeable the two could be at times, it's near obvious that one of them might just like the other. Either way, though, the two are closer than at first glance.

I jump down from the Titan's corpse as its body soon becomes unsuitable for standing upon. Without a second look back, I mount my horse and motion for my squad to continue moving. Everyone, excepting Suritsu and Diether until recently, in the squad has been quiet. I'm no excuse, but that's just how I am naturally. I would say that they're allowed to talk considering the situation, but that'd be an unacceptable break from character on my part. In my point of view, that is.

The sun is still high in the sky, perhaps even higher so than when we were first separated from the rest of the Corps. Judging by how quiet the rest of my squad has been, they're probably confidently under the impression that we're not likely to get out of this alive. We might as well be Titan food, considering how far off we are in Titan territory, not to mention without supplies and support. And, admittedly, that's probably the likeliest scenario, as much as I hate to admit it.

But if my display doesn't boost their morale by even just a little bit, I'd be ashamed to call myself their leader. Admitted, we might as well be Titan food. But saying that alone is incorrect. We are a highly experienced, not to mentioned skilled, Recon Corps element that has been separated from the rest of the group, and is, therefore, considered Titan food. It's the first part of that sentence that matters the most: What the Titan food is by composition, not what it is overall. Because, if we're Titan food... Well, who's to say that trying to eat us won't kill some of them first?

Besides. This is all statistics. That has nothing to do with my personal belief. Which is what, specifically? It's obvious. We're getting back to Trost alive. I chose the Recon Corps in order to see how far I'll go, and this isn't where my journey ends. When I say "How far I'll go", I mean to say how satisfying I can make my life. A life of excess is far from my idea of satisfying, though, as is a life of idle and repetitive action. The Recon Corps, on the other hand, is far from my idea of idleness and repetitiveness. Which is why I chose them. Even if I didn't admire them for their recklessness, it was still the reason I joined them. Personally, I love the reversal.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Welcome back to my Fanfiction of Attack on Titan. In this story, I plan to test-write a certain style I've been planning for usage in my story Existia, which involves more than twenty main characters, so to speak. Not every character is in every chapter, of course, and they aren't always a main character of a chapter. I hope you will be able to bear with me~**

**Main characters asofar:**

**Suritsu Frelich – Shiganshina District, Wall Maria**

**Diether Bräuer – Shiganshina District, Wall Maria**

**Lukas Weiß – (Somewhere inside), Wall Sina**


End file.
